Harare – A smear campaign against Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa appears to have gained steam, after links were established between private media, and a faction in the ruling Zanu PF Party.

Khuluma Afrika first learnt of a smear campaign last year, after Web Brigades (Trolls & highly skilled IT personnel) were recruited from Eastern European countries and tasked with orchestrating a misinformation and disinformation campaign against Mnangagwa.

In the aftermath of that report, several twitter followers emerged and would routinely retweet, like, and share messages demeaning Mnangagwa which would have been shared by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Higher Education, Jonathan Moyo, and fellow ministers, like Patrick Zhuwao, and Saviour Kasukuwere.

Last month, Khuluma Afrika uncovered evidence that Moyo had hired staff to dig up dirt on Mnangagwa, and that a video documentary would be made and played in front of the politburo, Zanu PFs highest decision making body.

Later that month, after the video was indeed played in a politburo meeting, Khuluma Afrika established the identity of clique behind the material.

This past week, fresh evidence emerged, linking Moyo, and his colleagues with rogue intelligence documents which were supplied to international media houses.

The documents claimed Mnangagwa had met with the MDC-T president, white farmers secretly, and given gifts of whiskey. The same documents, purporting to be intelligence reports stated that the Vice President had a drinking problem.

Leaders of the farmer’s union since distanced themselves from the article, stating that they had never met the Vice President outside of his official capacity, neither had they ever given him gifts, alcohol or otherwise.

The leader of the MDC-T, Morgan Tsvangirai also distanced himself from the reports, stating that he had never shared a drink with the Vice President.

Zanu PF heavyweight, Cde July Moyo also denied the claims, stating that he had known the Vice President for years, and in that time, he knew for a fact that from the 30th of June, of every year since independence, Mnangagwa would not sip a single drink.

The statement was supported by former cabinet member and leader of the war veterans association, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, who stated on the record that Mnangagwa was not a drinker.

A source within the country’s state machinery confirmed that members of the G40 function had deliberately created false misleading intelligence reports and leaked them to international media for the purposes of creating fake news reports.

Khuluma Afrika has since learnt that independent private media in Zimbabwe were yesterday supplied with false information to the effect that Mnangagwa would be subject to a police investigation regarding Godfrey Majonga’s alleged assault nearly 30 years ago.

Majonga made a statement to independent media in Zimbabwe which was published yesterday. In the statement, he described reports that he was made to jump from a high rise building by Mnangagwa as ‘claims’. He directed the reporters to ask the people behind the reports about the authenticity of their claims.

Impeccable sources told Khuluma Afrika that one independent newspaper would carry a lead story regarding the matter.

At the time of writing, spokesperson for Police, Charity Charamba could not be reached for comment. However sources within the ZRP categorically denied that such an investigation is underway.

Intelligence sources again confirmed to Khuluma Afrika that the story, despite sitting on hollow ground, would work towards smearing Mnangagwa’s name again, especially in light of the news story carried yesterday, and President Mugabe’s comments in Bindura, that the Majonga case was mere ‘claims’.